Washington Commanders 2025 Season Preview
By: Michael Higgins
(Image courtesy of Geoff Burke/IMAGN Images)
The Washington Commanders are coming into the 2025 season with serious expectations. Expectations that have not been thrust upon them in decades. With Jayden Daniels’ early success, their rebuild was not only accelerated, but completed. They cannot afford to get complacent with their progress and will need to strive for improvement after their division rivals won the Super Bowl.
Trades: GM Adam Peters was able to snag WR Deebo Samuel from the 49ers for a 5th round pick. While Samuel may not be what he once was, he can provide a new dimension to the Commanders’ offense to take some of the burden off of Jayden Daniels. They also added OT Laremy Tunsil via trade with the Houston Texans.
Departures: The Commanders said goodbye to WR Olamide Zaccheaus, WR Dyami Brown, OT Cornelius Lucas, EDGE Dante Fowler Jr., DL Jonathan Allen, CB Benjamin St-Juste, and SAF Jeremy Chinn. Their defense is losing 4 starters and true difference makers, which may be near impossible to overcome.
Additions: The team signed SAF Will Harris to a 2-year deal and DL Javon Kinlaw to a 3-year deal. They inked the following players to one-year deals: IOL Nate Herbig, EDGE Jacob Martin, EDGE Von Miller, EDGE Deatrich Wise, DT Eddie Goldman, CB Jonathan Jones, and K Matt Gay.
Draft Selections: Adam Peters attacked positions of need in the draft while also getting great slot value. In the 1st round, they picked Oregon OT Josh Conerly Jr. and in the 2nd round they took Ole Miss CB Trey Amos. Amos was widely regarded as a 1st round talent and would have been picked Day 1 had he been 100% healthy. I also believe that WR Jaylin Lane will make a solid impact on the offense as a rookie.
Season Predictions: The Commanders start the season at home against the Giants, play the Packers in Green Bay on Thursday Night Football, host the Raiders, and travel to play the Falcons. The Commanders start the season 3-1.
October opens in Los Angeles against the Chargers before returning home to host the Bears on Monday Night Football. They have a quick turnaround to play two road games against the Cowboys and the Chiefs on Monday Night Football. The Commanders go 2-2 in October.
They have two home games to start November against the Seahawks on Sunday Night Football and the Lions. The team goes to Miami to play the Dolphins before a Week 12 bye. They come out of the bye to end November hosting the Broncos on Sunday Night Football. I have the Commanders going 2-2 in November.
The Commanders have two straight road games against the Vikings and Giants. They return to play the Eagles and the Cowboys at home. They end the season on the road against the Eagles. I have the Commanders going 2-3 in this stretch.
Final Thoughts: The Washington Commanders will finish the season with a record of 9-8. This is a huge step back from where they got to last season. I just do not believe in the offseason they had and all the other playoff teams in the NFC improved or made up ground on the Commanders. The Commanders need to pay Terry McLaurin to give Daniels a Bonafide WR1. Signing all of these aging veterans who are past their prime derailed the team’s trajectory in a way that may hurt their season.
